We've been through this. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has not said matter-of-factly that the coronavirus was created by Chinese scientists in a Wuhan lab, but that it may have escaped from a lab where it was being studied. He's repeatedly said he trusts U.S. intelligence that has determined the virus was not man-made. But CBS's "60 Minutes" once again suggested that Pompeo was "attempting to resurrect" the theory based on a selectively edited clip of his interview with ABC's Martha Raddatz.
As the U.S. took the lead for illness and death from coronavirus, the White House moved the focus to the Chinese government. Last Sunday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attempted to resurrect a debunked theory that the virus was man-made in China. https://t.co/MZbfe4LeXi pic.twitter.com/bIjTRfboTg
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) May 10, 2020
As always, the full exchange between Raddatz and Pompeo was left on the cutting room floor:
"Okay. So just to be clear, you do not think it was man-made or genetically modified?" Raddatz asked.
"I’ve seen what the Intelligence Community has said," Pompeo responded. "I have no reason to believe that they’ve got it wrong."
Here's what he actually said, for the record. The exact opposite of what 60 Minutes is suggesting. pic.twitter.com/nFg9lSeCvN
— August Takala (@RudyTakala) May 11, 2020
"But you have to put this in context," Pompeo added. "Here’s what’s important, Martha. Here’s what’s important. The Chinese Communist Party had the opportunity to prevent all of the calamity that has befallen the world, and here we find ourselves today – you and I were talking about we haven’t seen each other physically for a long time. That’s true of people all across the world."
What is it with media outlets taking remarks out of context? Over the weekend "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd selectively edited a clip of Attorney General Bob Barr reacting to the DOJ's decision to drop criminal charges against Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.
"Well, history is written by the winner," is all Todd's audience heard.
Todd wondered why Barr did not mention anything about the rule of law in his answer and proved this was just a "political job." In the larger clip, Barr reasons that the decision...upheld the rule of law.
NBC later apologized. Waiting on CBS.
This is completely false and CBS and 60 Minutes should offer a correction or retraction.
— Justin Redalen (@Justinredalen) May 10, 2020
Pompeo never said it was man made. He said it may have escaped from a lab where it was being studied.
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